Sony Animation Dates The Emoji Movie, Delays Animated Spider-Man

Sony sets release dates for The Emoji Movie and Animated Spider-Man

Sony Pictures Animation has announced today the release dates for three of their upcoming animated films starting with the previously-announced The Emoji Movie set to debut on August 11, 2017 and a new adaptation of Peter Rabbit to be released on March 23, 2018.

In addition, the previously-revealed animated Spider-Man movie from 21 Jump Street and The LEGO Movie filmmakers Phil Lord and Chris Miller will now open on December 21, 2018 instead of earlier that summer on July 20. The pair are masterminding the project, writing the treatment and producing the film, though they will sit out on directing as their next project will likely be the upcoming Untitled Han Solo Movie.

Revealed this summer, Sony was the winner of an intense bidding war for The Emoji Movie, which will be co-written by Eric Siegel (TBS’s “Men At Work”) and Anthony Leondis (Igor), with the latter directing the feature. Leondis reportedly created a series of storyboards outlining the entire film based on the tiny characters, which also drew interest from rivals Paramount and Warner Bros.

Little is known about Peter Rabbit, originally created by Beatrix Potter, who has been the subject of countless television adaptations and even brand new books written about the character by Academy Award winner Emma Thompson.